1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a band-like connector for connecting a connector and a band-like conductor such as an FFC (flexible flat cable) or an FPC (flexible printed circuit).
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, there is a known structure in which a conductor pattern is formed on a surface of a base film using a technique such as etching method or plating method, this conductor pattern is covered and coated with a cover lay film in an insulative manner, thereby forming a flexible printed circuit (hereinafter, referred to as FPC,), and this flexible printed circuit and a connector are connected.
In a connector used for such a structure, metal fittings having conductor-contacting portions are accommodated in respective terminal accommodation chambers, and the conductor-contacting portions face outward from the terminal accommodation chambers.
On the other hand, the FPC is fixed on a surface of a meter case in such a manner that the FPC is provided along an inner wall surface of a connector fitting recess formed in the meter case. The cover lay film of the FPC provided along the inner wall surface of the connector fitting recess is removed for bringing the FPC and the conductor-contacting portion of the terminal metal fitting into electrical contact with each other. That is, the conductor pattern is exposed.
In such a structure, if the connector is mounted to the meter case, the conductor-contacting portion exposed from the terminal accommodation chamber comes into contact with the conductor pattern of the FPC, and the terminal fitting and the FPC are brought into conduction,
In the above structure, however, since a region where the contact therebetween can be ensure with respect to positional deviation in a fitting direction of the connector and the meter case is narrow, if precision in size of a connector mounting portion is not excellent, there is an adverse possibility that the conductor patterns of the FPC and the corresponding conductor-contacting portions are not brought into contact with each other. Further, when there is an insulative object such as an oxide film on the contact portion between the conductor pattern and the conductor-contacting portion, there is a problem that the connecting reliability therebetween is deteriorated.
The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a band-like conductor connecting connector having high connecting reliability between a terminal metal fitting and a conductor pattern.
The present invention provides a band-like conductor connecting connector comprising holder, a first connector which is accommodated and temporarily locked in the holder, a band-like conductor disposed substantially straightly from one side surface to the other side surface of the holder through openings and respectively formed in the holder and the first connector such as to pass therethrough, the band-like conductor sandwiching a plurality of wire conductor patterns with an insulative film and a portion of the band-like conductor at least disposed in the holder exposing the wire conductor patterns, and a second connector which is inserted into the first connector to release a temporarily locked state between the first connector and the holder, and which pushes the band-like conductor together with the first connector toward a bottom of the holder, wherein in a process during which the second connector pushes the first connector toward the bottom of the holder, a plurality of terminal metal fittings provided on a tip end of the second connector push the band-like conductor into the bottom of the holder while scrubbing the exposed wire conductor patterns.
With this band-like conductor connecting connector, in the process during which the second connector pushes the first connector toward the bottom of the holder, the plurality of terminal metal fittings provided on a tip end of the second connector scrubs the exposed wire conductor patterns. Therefore, the insulative matter such as oxide film adhered on the surface of the wire conductor pattern is removed. With this removal of the insulative matter, the connecting reliability between the wire conductor pattern and the terminal metal fitting is enhanced.
Further, in the present invention, the band-like conductor is sandwiched between the bottom of the first connector and the second connector. With this feature, the band-like conductor is sandwiched between the bottom of the first connector and the second connector. Therefore, the terminal metal fitting provided on the tip end of the second connector and the wire conductor pattern are reliably brought into contact with each other.
Further, the first connector is provided at its bottom with a receiving stage of the band-like conductor. This receiving stage serves as a pedestal of the wire conductor pattern, and the terminal metal fitting and the wire conductor pattern can reliably be brought into contact with each other under pressure.